The cables used to moor semi-permanent offshore platforms, such as drilling platforms for use either to open water or ice bound areas can be of material length. For certain location, the length of the cable can be such that cable drag approaches that of the moored structure itself. Cable drag is particularly aggravated where sub-surface currents are great.
To minimize the cable drag, it has been proposed to fair the cable. Heretofore, the procedure used has been to add finite lengths of a disposable fairing to the cable as it is played out. The fairing lengths are bound together by bolts, rivets or the like, and only used once. Because of the bulk they add to the cable, it has been impossible to retrieve both the cable and fairing intact because of the configuration of the fairing and the size of the drum which would be essential to winding of the faired cable. For instance, problems of jamming occur if more than a layer of cable and fairing are rolled onto the drum. As a consequence, the fairing which was added piecemeal when the cable was played out is removed and discarded when the cable is drawn in. This is costly and requires a continuous stock pile of the dispensible fairings.